Jammu, March 13: The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) at Kakryal near Katra has applied to the National Medical Commission (NMC) for fresh approval to relaunch its MBBS program, despite the regulator pulling permission earlier this year over infrastructure gaps and a heated admissions controversy.
Sources say the institute submitted an online request for a new Letter of Permission (LoP) to admit 50 students for 2026-27, paying fees and prepping for inspection—possibly in June-July.
Run by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, SMVDIME got initial NMC okay in September 2025 for 50 seats. But a January 2, 2026, surprise check found shortages in faculty, clinical resources, and facilities, leading to withdrawal.
The move followed Jammu protests by groups like Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti, upset that most of the 50 NEET-admitted students were non-Hindu, mainly from Kashmir—sparking demands to scrap the list.
Affected students were shifted to government colleges via extra seats. Now, with fixes in place, the institute eyes all-India counseling via Medical Counselling Committee to dodge repeats, skipping state-level JKBOPEE used before. No minority status push, as Hindus aren’t recognized as such in J&K.
Approval could let SMVDIME restart, boosting medical education in the region despite the bumpy start.
